By Lauren Whelan ’14, Staff Writer

Year after year, the Newark Academy Arts Department has stunned the community with memorable dance concerts, musicals, drama productions, and more.  As a community, we are consistently awestruck by the professionalism and talent brought to the stage by the student body and faculty alike. However, few of us have taken a moment to acknowledge or even question how these productions are put together. Newark Academy’s success on stage is largely due to the innumerable hours of preparation by a doubly dedicated and talented team that definitely deserves more recognition.

The contributions of the stage crew range from painting to the physical maneuvering of sets to electronic back stage responsibilities. The anonymity of the stage crew is uncovered through the words of Mr. Huber, the stage crew advisor, and multiple other members of the stage crew. Becca Butler ’13 described how the different tasks performed by the stage crew appeal to a diverse group of students. “Everyone can find their niche within the group,” she stated. “We are a veritable ‘melting pot’ of  Newark Academy brought together by a musical.” Stage crew serves as the perfect opportunity for students of all different interests and skills to meet and collaborate on projects together.   In addition to the social aspects of the group, she discussed the creative aspect of the stage crew: “The appeal of stage crew is to explore my creative side that becomes restricted by the rigid expectations of school and my classes.”

With all of the creativity, dedication, and hard work that the members of the stage crew embody, stage crew can be regarded as an art in equal caliber of those that the group helps to highlight such as dance and acting. Mr. Huber addressed this, asserting, “Stage crew takes everything from artistic perception and translates it into reality, combining all the arts.”  Katharine Fuzesi ’13, another member of the team, explained that her favorite part of stage crew is the ability to become involved in a musical production without being on stage. Julia Blanchard ’14 agrees with Fuzesi, adding that she enjoys the involvement in larger productions.  The passion for stage crew expressed by students and advisor alike serves as evidence that stage crew is a great way to connect and work alongside others in a creative setting. More importantly, though, it can also be credited equally with the performing arts that it so generously supports. Despite their contributions behind the scenes, the crucial impact and incredible talent of our stage crew truly takes center stage.